Avoid this mobile spam scam

More and more of us are being bombarded with spam text messages. Here's how to fight back.

A few months back I wrote an article about how to fight back against spam emails. Unfortunately though, it’s not just email spam that you have to worry about. Mobile spam is also becoming a big problem.

In fact, according to research from uSwitch, four million unsolicited text messages are received every day. This is up a whopping 300% from 2007!

If you combine this with the 107 million spam emails that are received every day, that’s a total of 111 million spam attacks made each day. Eek!

The major problem with spam texts is that unlike email, you can get charged a fee for every text message you receive. What’s more, often you’ll be told you can claim a prize by calling an expensive premium rate number or simply replying to the text – which again, you’ll be charged for. And of course, the prize will be non-existent.

The problem has been heightened further due to the rise in the number of people using smartphones. These phones store a lot of personal data, including photos, email addresses and bank details. So if a spammer gets hold of any of this information, you could be in trouble.

The ten worst countries

But while spam texts and emails are a big problem in the UK, it’s worse in three other countries. The table below shows the ten worst countries for sending spam.

Source: Spamhaus Blocklist Database. Correct at 6/5/11.

As you can see, the UK is in fourth place, behind the US – with a mammoth 2,334 spam issues – China and the Russian Federation - although this isn’t surprising given their large populations.

The number of spam issues in the UK has, however, jumped from 184 to 383 since 2007. Meanwhile, European countries such as France, Germany and Italy have managed to contain the spread of spam.

So apart from emigrate to somewhere that hasn’t featured on the table – Australia, for example – what can you do to protect yourself from spam texts? Take a look at these tips.

1. Don’t reply

If you receive a spam text, whatever you do, don’t reply to it. Ensure you don’t call the number in the text either as you’ll be charged a premium rate to do this.

2. Text ‘stop’

If you’ve signed up to something in the past and you’re receiving text messages from a short code number, the message may contain details of how to unsubscribe. An example of this is texting the word ‘stop’ to the number.

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3. Take matters into your own hands

If there’s no unsubscribe option in the message and you want to stop receiving these messages, you should contact the company’s customer services directly rather than via text. You should be able to find the details through Google, or another search engine. Tell the company you want to be removed from its marketing list.

4. Be careful what you sign up to

Avoid signing up with websites that say they will remove your name from spam lists. In some cases, these sites may be legitimate, but in others they may be mobile phone number collectors – so you’re better off avoiding them.

5. Tick/untick the boxes

Whenever you’re filling in online or paper forms, ensure you tick or untick the boxes to state that you don’t want to receive marketing messages.

6. Be careful when downloading apps

If you’re downloading apps, make sure you’re extra vigilant. Unofficial app stores can contain phishing applications which can obtain personal data from your phone. So ensure you check the features the app can tap into in order to operate before you begin downloading.

7. Read the terms and conditions

Always read the terms and conditions on forms carefully before handing over your phone number.

8. Protect your phone

If you have a smartphone, be very careful about how much information you store on it. You should always use the PIN function on your handset and wipe the browser history after using. Don’t store any passwords or personal details on your phone.

It’s also well worth regularly updating the latest version of mobile software to ensure your phone has the latest security measures.

And if you plan to sell on your phone or recycle it when you no longer need it, make sure you delete any personal details from your phone and SIM card beforehand.

Find out more in The smart new way scammers steal your cash.

9. Forward it

If you are particularly concerned about a spam text you’ve received, you can forward it to your network on 7726 for free for further investigation. This will help the network provider to gather together more information and help reduce the number of spam messages being sent.

Finally, if you’ve dealt with your spam text messages but you’re not sure how to deal with the hundreds of spam emails you receive, take a look at Eight ways to stop spam emails for some top tips.

Thanks to uSwitch and Orange for some of these tips.

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